Quote: Afinkawan @ July 29 2008, 11:10 AM BSTI was speaking to a proper established sitcom writer last night and apparently Lab Rats is rubbish because "It hasn't got any actual characters, just a bunch of people who say funny things."
So there you go.
That does seem a strange thing to say as surely that's the idea of comedy.
I forgot about the third episode and haven't gone out of my way to watch it.
Actually isn't that really what "Not going out" is?
Quote: Tim Walker @ July 29 2008, 4:38 PM BSTIn TV land, the team behind it must have been wary of the fact that the Beeb put it out at this time of year, i.e. when everyone in TV land scampers off abroad and hopes no-one is watching the turkeys they commissioned. "Oh, put Bonekickers out in late July/early August, maybe nobody will notice."
Not sure I agree with this. The Office was broadcast this time of year, and when it came time to launch Extras he deliberately chose to put it out at the same time of year. I think this is a good launch time because you can put stuff out more quietly, and there isn't the intense pressure to perform.
Quote: chipolata @ July 30 2008, 9:12 AM BSTNot sure I agree with this. The Office was broadcast this time of year, and when it came time to launch Extras he deliberately chose to put it out at the same time of year. I think this is a good launch time because you can put stuff out more quietly, and there isn't the intense pressure to perform.
Fair point, but The Office was put out because at this time of year precisely because none of the execs had any faith in it. And it did pretty much pass under the radar initially. I think it's rather the exception that fits the rule. With Extras, Gervais&Merchant could have put it out anytime of year they wanted and it was going to attract interest. But I stand by my comment on Bonekickers!
What are the viewing figures like on Bonekickers? It is dreck, but my mom watches it.
And back on the subject of Lab Rats. This was the BBC's attempt to do a big daft slightly surreal comedy along the lines of Father Ted or The IT Crowd. As far as I can see, they haven't got a very good track record with these type of shows. Can anybody think of succesful beeb shows along these lines?
Rentaghost?
Rentaghost's a classic. The only other one I can think of is Hippies, and the beeb ditched that after one series, yet compared to Lab Rats it was Citizen Kane.
Quote: Griff @ July 30 2008, 10:25 AM BSTBlackadder was pretty good.
As was Rentaghost.
Blackadder was great, but not sure it was surreal or daft.
Wasn't Rentaghost a comedy-drama for the first series or something? And then went surreal after that? I vaguely recall hearing that somewhere, but only remember the silly CBBC version...
Dan
Quote: chipolata @ July 30 2008, 9:39 AM BSTWhat are the viewing figures like on Bonekickers? It is dreck, but my mom watches it.
I'm not sure on the viewing figures, but what I do know is that Bonekickers was the subject of attack by Jon Holmes on last Friday's episode of The Now Show. They commented on some of the odd lines such as "Don't step in the trench! The area may be contaminated by the dust from your shoes."
This is a comment given to one review of the show, which I mention just because it mentions a sitcom in it.
Its always difficult watching a drama about which you know something - but having had careers in both archaeology & the NHS, this made Green Wing (let alone Casualty & Holby City) look like in-depth documentaries. It could have been so good, but I ended up looking for the continuity errors in the number of crosses burning in each shot. Disappointing, especially as Life on Mars was so great.
For the record, Bonekickers got 4.2m last night. This is more than most BBC2 comedies get (Mock the Week got 2.6m last week), but is poor ratings by BBC1 standards.
I don't have a record of last week's Lab Rats ratings, but the week before got a rather low 1.3 million.
How the hell do they know these viewing figures?
Wow, that's one powerful piece of machinery, and it looks it too!
Peter O Toole can't be getting much work these days.
BALD MAN: Yes, yes they have a television.
OLD MAN: What they watching?
BALD MAN: Err.. Corrie I think?
OLD MAN: Turn it off, I'm taping it!!
DRIVER: How, it's 1953, where did you get a recorder?
OLD MAN: I have Sky+.
BALD MAN: What's that?
OLD MAN: I get the wife to watch it and then dictate it back to me.
DRIVER: Why do you call her Sky+?
OLD MAN: Because she's big and blue, plus she's full of air.
BALD MAN: Have you been drinking again?
OLD MAN: Yes.
